Maternity garment



Sept. 18, 1962 L. L. M MANN MATERNITY GARMENT Filed Sept. 24, 1959 FIG.I

INVENTOR.

LUCILLE MC MANN BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,054,112 MATERNITYGARMENT Lucille L. McMann, Mishawaka, Ind. (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.)

Filed Sept. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 842,121 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-76) The presentinvention relates to maternity garments and more particularly to anadjustable skirt or underskirt for wear during pregnancy.

During the period of pregnancy when the figure is expanding and bodymovements tend to become increasingly awkward, it is desirable to weardresses which are not only adjustable to the changing dimensions, butalso minimize the awkwardness of the body as well as give the illusionof the normal figure. Conventional maternity skirts have been expandableby a variety of means. Wraparound skirts are easily adjustable; however,they tend to separate in some positions such as sitting and in addition,as the figure expands, the hemlines of the skirts become uneven. Pullgathered skirts also develop uneven hemlines, they give a bulkyappearance, and they are uncomfortable since they depend on drawstringsor other belt means around the expanded waistline for their supportwhich bind the wearer.

Another conventional expandable skirt is the separate type with a holeover the abdomen, supported by a drawstring or belt means around thewaistline; however, this type is also binding and uncomfortable, addingto the natural awkwardness during this period. It is therefore theprincipal object of my invention to provide a garment for maternity wearwhich will expand with the wearers size maintaining a neat hemline andbe attractive as well as comfortable to the wearer.

Another object is to provide a skirt adaptable to the popular narrowsilhouette which gives the illusion of slimness', hiding the awkwardnessof the figure and which is suspended from the shoulders for greatercomfort to the wearer.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a skirt orunderskirt for maternity wear which is easy for the wearer to put on inspite of the awkwardness characteristic of pregnancy and which adjustsautomatically to the expanding figure.

A further object is to provide a versatile maternity garment adaptableto be either an underskirt or a skirt, which is automatically adjustableand comfortable to wear, yet which is simple and economical tomanufacture.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the garment being worn, the novelfeatures of the skirts construction being shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the skirt, showing details ofconstruction; and

FIGURE 3 is a detail view of the bodice placket.

Referring to the drawing, numeral designates a maternity dressconsisting of overblouse 12 and my skirt 14. The skirt in thisembodiment is made in two parts, the bodice 16 and skirt portion 18, andthese parts are sewed or otherwise firmly secured together. Darts 20 and22 are provided near the sides at the waistline for a neat fit over thepart f the figure which does not increase in size substantially. Ashown, the support for the skirt is provided by relatively broadshoulder straps 24 which bear the weight of the skirt without binding orother discomfort. The bodice is closed by means of a placket 25 withbuttons 26 and 27 and button holes 26' and 27', respectively, in aneasily reached position so that no other placket or opening means in ahard to 3,054,112 Patented Sept. 18, 1962 reach position is necessary,thus making it possible for the wearer to get into the garment andsecure it easily without twisting or stretching. This bodice arrangementalso contributes to the neat fit of the garment, in that it can beexpanded to accommodate enlargement during the final stages ofpregnancy. In the early stages button 27 can be used in hole 26'; laterthe two buttons are used in the manner shown; and in the final stages,button 26- is used in hole 27.

One of the principal features of the garment is the hole or opening 28which extends from immediately under the bust to below the area ofexpansion of the abdomen, and which is sufficiently wide to leave freeand unobstructed the entire expansion area of the body during pregnancy.The opening in the embodiment shown is defined by a U-shaped portion 30in the skirt extending downwardly from the top and by an invertedU-shaped portion 32 in the bodice extending up from the bottom a portionof the distance to the neck opening 34. The material along the twoU-shaped portions is preferably reinforced with a facing 36 and 36, orthe like.

Opening 28 is covered by the loose overblouse conventional for maternitywear, and since there are no restricting edges over the expansion areaand no drawstring or belt means at the waistline, the garment can beworn throughout the advanced period of pregnancy in complete comfort.The combination of the broad shoulder straps and adequate front openingprovides comfort to the wearer, while the front placket of the bodicemakes it easy to put on and take oil even during the advanced awkwardstage of pregnancy. This combination can be incorporated into any styleof skirt so that the garment can be adapted to the latest fashion,keeping the wearers silhouette attractive in spite of the expandedfigure.

In the embodiment shown, the skirt 18 is of the same material as blouse12, while bodice 16 is of lighter material suitable for an undergarment.For use as an underskirt, the entire garment can be made of the samematerial. It can also be made in one piece, fitted by means of darts orthe like, rather than as an attached bodice and skirt, the importantrequirements being that the bodice and skirt are attached so that theskirt hangs from the shoulders for its support, and that the bodiceportion fasten in front where the placket is easily accessible for thewearers convenience and comfort.

While only one embodiment has been described in detail herein, furthermodifications and changes can be made without departing from the scopeof the present invention.

I claim:

1. A maternity garment, comprising a skirt portion, a bodice having apair of shoulder straps and a neckline and being secured to andsupporting said skirt, means defining an unobstructed U-shaped openingwith a continuous uninterrupted edge in the front of said skirt andextending downwardly from the top thereof, means defining anunobstructed inverted U-shaped opening in the front of said bodiceextending upwardly from the bottom of the bodice a portion of thedistance to the neckline, the size of the opening in said skirt at thetop thereof and the opening in said bodice at the bottom thereof beingthe same, an expandable placket extending between the upper portion ofthe opening in said bodice and the neckline, adjustable button meansclosing said placket for selectively varying the width thereof, and aplurality of darts in the adjoining margins of said skirt and bodice onopposite sides of said opening therein.

2. A maternity garment, comprising a skirt portion, a bodice having apair of shoulder straps and a neckline and being secured to andsupporting said skirt, means defining an unobstructed U-shaped openingwith a continuous uninterrupted edge in the front of said skirt andextending downwardly from the top thereof, means defining anunobstructed inverted U-shaped opening in the front of said bodiceextending upwardly from the bottom of the bodice a portion of thedistance to the neckline, the size of the opening in said skirt at thetop thereof and the opening in said bodice at the bottom thereof beingthe same, an expandable placket extending between the upper portion ofthe opening in said bodice and the neckline, and a pair of horizontallyspaced buttons and button holes closing said placket for selectivelyvarying the width thereof.

3. A maternity garment, comprising a skirt portion, a bodice having apair of shoulder straps and an opening for the wearers neck and beingsecured to and supporting said skirt, means defining an unobstructedU-shaped opening with a continuous uninterrupted edge in the front ofsaid skirt and extending downwardly from the top thereof, means definingan unobstructed inverted U-shaped opening in the front of said bodiceextending upwardly from the bottom of the bodice a portion of thedistance to the neck opening, the adjacent edges of said openingsregistering with one another, an expandable placket extending betweenthe upper portion of the opening in said bodice and the opening for thewearers neck, and releasable means closing said placket for selectivelyvarying the width thereof.

4. A maternity garment, comprising a skirt portion, a bodice having apair of shoulder straps and an opening for the wearers neck and beingsecured to and supporting said skirt, means defining an unobstructedU-shaped opening with a continuous uninterrupted edge in the front ofsaid skirt and extending downwardly from the top thereof, means definingan unobstructed inverted U-shaped opening in the front of said bodiceextending upwardly from the bottom of the bodice a portion of thedistance to the neck opening, the adjacent edges of said openingsregistering with one another, an expandable placket extending betweenthe upper portion of the opening in said bodice and the opening for thewearers neck, and a means for selectively varying the Width of saidplacket.

5. A maternity garment, comprising a skirt portion, a bodice having apair of shoulder straps secured to and supporting said skirt, meansdefining a broad unobstructed opening with a continuous uninterruptededge in the front of said skirt and extending downwardly from the topthereof, means defining a broad unobstructed permanent opening in thefront of said bodice extending upwardly from the bottom of the bodice aportion of the distance to the top, an expandable placket extendingbetween the upper portion of the opening in said bodice and the top, andreleasable means closing said placket for selectively varying the widththereof.

6. A maternity garment, comprising a skirt portion, a bodice having apair of shoulder straps secured to and sup porting said skirt, meansdefining a broad unobstructed opening with a continuous uninterruptededge in the front of said skirt and extending downwardly from the topthereof, means defining a broad unobstructed permanent opening in thefront of said bodice extending upwardly from the bottom of the bodice aportion of the distance to the top, an expandable placket extendingbetween the upper portion of the opening in said bodice and the top, anda pair of horizontally spaced buttons and button holes closing saidplacket for selectively varying the width thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,065,027 Budweiser June 17, 1913 1,372,977 Prokesch Mar. 29, 19212,014,619 Hunley Sept. 17, 1935 2,014,620 Hunley Sept. 17, 19352,259,236 Wellins et a1. Oct. 14, 1941 2,521,409 Richony Sept. 15, 19502,548,143 Christiansen Apr. 10, 1951

